Have you ever thought about modern life and constant pressure over the human body? We live surrounded by technology, fast transport, food available whenever we want, and immediate access to information. However, a recent study explains that, even though modern life seems easy, the human body is not ready to deal with the rhythm and pressure of the current world.
According to evolutionary anthropologists Colin Shaw, from the University of Zurich, and Daniel Longman, from the University of Loughborough, the human body evolved in a completely different environment to the one we live in today. The study points out that many current health issues have to do with this difference between how we live and how our bodies are designed. So, let’s find out more about this study, shall we?
How the human body evolved
For hundreds of thousands of years, human beings lived in nature. They walked long distances, made physical efforts everyday, and they were in constant contact with their natural surroundings. Sure, stress already existed back then, but it was short and intense, such as escaping danger or hunting for food.
In those moments, the human body activated defense mechanisms that prepared the person to fight or escape. Once the danger was over, the human body felt calm and relaxed again. Basically, this balance between stress and recovery was key to keeping their health.
The problem, according to the study, is that the human body keeps working as if it lived in that old environment, although today conditions are very different.
Constant stress of modern life
Now, people are exposed to constant stimuli that activate stress. Traffic noises, work arguments, work pressure, social media, pollution, and urban life make the human body to be always alert.
In comparison to the past, this stress doesn’t last just a few minutes, it can stay for hours, days, or even years. The human body doesn’t have enough time to recover and the mechanisms that were useful to survive in the past are nonstop working.
The study explains that this constant activation provokes wear and tear on the human body. The systems that were meant to protect us in emergencies are now overused, which leads to physical and mental exhaustion.
Health consequences
Although today we have more comfort than ever, the levels of chronic stress and inflammatory diseases are increasing. Researchers point out that this is no coincidence. When the human body is stressed for a long time, it creates inflammatory processes that can affect different systems of the organism. Over time, this can contribute to health issues that affect daily life and long-term well-being.
What’s more, modern life is known mainly for spending long hours sitting, constant exposure to artificial light, permanent noise, and excessive consumption of processed foods. So, you can see that all of this is nothing like the environment that evolved our biology.
Impact on human reproduction
One of the most worrying points of the study is the relationship between the constant pressure of the modern environment and the lowering of worldwide fertility. The authors explain that constant stress also affects reproductive health.
A clear example is the poor sperm quality, something seen in different researches. This issue is related to the exposure to pesticides and microplastics, which are very present in the modern world.
These factors didn’t exist during most parts of human evolution, which reinforces the idea that the human body is not adapted yet to these new conditions.
Why can’t the human body adapt fastly?
Evolution is a very slow process. Even though technology and industrial life have changed in a radical way in a few generations, the human body needs thousands of years to completely adapt.
The study explains that this speed difference is one of the main causes of the current discomfort. We live surrounded by advances, but our bodies keep reacting as if they needed to survive in a natural, physically demanding world.
This is why many people feel constantly exhausted, stressed, difficulties to relax and health issues, even when they are not facing real dangers.